The first task is to know what your soil contains and the only sure method is to do a Think Soil On-line Soil Test. We strongly encourage not guessing and applying nutrients in accordance with test results.
When renovating a lawn, you can safely and effectively apply two critical ingredients: starter fertilizer and calcitic lime.
We recommend the use of a time release professional grade fertilizer with a relatively high phosphorous percentage as displayed in the analysis on the bag (the middle number). The phosphorous is critical for germination and overall root development.
The next soil amendment to apply is calcitic lime. As a general rule this type of lime is recommended because soils in the area don’t require the addition of magnesium, which is prevalent in dolomitic lime.
Should you have recent soil test results showing a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 we recommend a Solu-Cal application but at a maintenance rate of 50 lbs. per 8,000 square feet.
So if you’re going to renovate your lawn it’s important to have a plan. And that plan should address soil preparation and the application of nutrients to achieve optimal levels
